Hot stick operable connector for attachment to and detachment from a high-voltage conductor

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a connector which may be attached to or detached from a bare high-voltage conductor through the use of a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;hot stick&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; which is manually operable by an electrician but which insulates the electrician from the conductor. The connector includes a shank member and a first leg member which are fixedly secured to each other to form an inverted V-shaped hook. A second leg is pivoted to, and at the throat of, the hook by a cross pin carried by the shank member and the first leg. A compression spring urges the second leg away from the first leg to form a normally open hook. The second leg is movable toward the first leg by a lever-operated cam which is pivoted to, and carried by, the shank member. The means to operate the lever of said leveroperated cam means includes a carriage mounted for travel on said shank member, a spring member connected as an extension of said lever, and a roller on said carriage traveling on an end portion of said spring.

Unite States Patent inventor Louis M. Walter 16709 Highway 99, Lynnwood,Wash. 98036 Appl. No. 852,343

Filed Aug. 22, 1969 Patented Nov. 30, 1971 HOT STICK OPERABLE CONNECTORFOR ATTACHMENT TO AND DETACHMENT FROM A HIGH-VOLTAGE CONDUCTOR 10Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 339/109, 339/266 L lnt.Cl H01r 11/14 Field of Search 339/109,108. 264, 266; 24/249 LL References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS1.603.035 10/1926 Evans 339/264 X 8/1941 Johnson 339/264 FOREIGN PATENTS1,274,998 9/1961 France sa /109 870,714 3/1953 Germany 339/109 PrimaryExaminer-Richard E. Moore AuomeyThomas W. Secrest ABSTRACT: There isdisclosed a connector which may be attached to or detached from a barehigh-voltage conductor through the use ofa hot stick" which is manuallyoperable by an electrician but which insulates the electrician from theconductor. The connector includes a shank member and a first leg memberwhich are fixedly secured to each other to form an inverted V-shapedhook. A second leg is pivoted to. and at the throat of. the hook by across pin carried by the shank member and the first leg. A compressionspring urges the second leg away from the first leg to form a normallyopen hook. The second leg is movable toward the first leg by alever-operated cam which is pivoted to. and carried by. the shankmember. The means to operate the lever of said lever-operated cam meansincludes a carriage mounted for travel on said shank member, a springmember connected as an extension of said lever, and a roller on saidcarriage traveling on an end portion of said spring.

PATENTEUNBVBOIHYI 3.624.592

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sum 2 or 2 INVENTOR. low/s M. Wan/fer HOT STICK OPERABLE CONNECTOR FORATTACHMENT TO AND DETACHMENT FROM A HIGH- VOLTAGE CONDUCTOR Thisinvention relates to a hot stick operated connector for attachment anddetachment from a conductor on which is imposed a relativelyhigh-voltage electrical current.

In connection with the commercial distribution of electrical light andpower, the load has been constantly increasing and this, not only due toour increasing population, but to the ever increasing use of more andvaried appliances and devices which are electrically powered. With thisever increasing load, most commercial electrical power systems have orare now reaching maximum-load conditions. As substantially all publicutilities now distribute alternating electrical current, all systemsemploy transformers. All of the transformers employed in a system shouldbe live and operable or the remaining transformers must carry that muchmore load and often must carry loads created by an improperlyfunctioning transfonner. Thus, there is now a very great need forconnectors which may be used so that a transformer can be installed orremoved and this while the system is hot," or the primary winding of atransformer or the secondary winding thereof are also hot.

Up to certain voltage levels, it is reasonably safe for trainedelectricians to install a transformer or to remove it from hot wires andto touch the wires in such work. Often 4,500 volts is considered themaximum voltage on which electricians may safely, and often, legally,touch the wires in connection with such work. As the total load capacityincreases in our various public utilities, it is now common usage toincrease the primary voltage throughout the system and thus there arenow many transformers used in public utilities which have voltagesimpressed thereon which exceed the voltages where the electricians canwork on the wires by directly contacting the wires with their hands. Inconnection with reference to touching the wires with their hands, ofcourse, many. times electricians will use insulated gloves but still theabove voltages are considered the maximum which the electricians maytouch even though they may be wearing gloves.

Also, in present day activities, it is expected that the electricitywill be delivered 24 hours a day and that the electrical applianceswhich have been and are being installed are of a type and of a purposethat it would cause serious difficulties to have any interruptions inthe electrical service except those which are positively unavoidable.

There is now a recognized need for. electrical connectors which arecertain, safe and efficient and which may be employed to attach ordetach electrical conductors having impressed voltages thereon far toohigh for the electricians to touch the wires and which connectors mustbe remotely manipulated by an electrician through a conventional hotstick.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a connectorcomprising a shank member and a first leg member fixed thereto, formingtherebetween an inverted V-shaped hook. In connection with such hook, asecond leg member is disposed parallel to the shank member and has oneend portion ivotally connected to the throat of the hook and the otherend portion free to move toward and away from the first leg member.

Another object is to provide a lever-operated cam to urge said secondleg toward said first leg and forcibly engage a bare electricalconductor between said legs.

Another object is to provide a spring member as a part of the leveroperating said cam so that a resilient force is applied between saidlegs and against a bare conductor therebetween.

Another object is to provide a carriage, movable along said shank memberand in moving operates said lever-operated cam to move the legs of saidV-shaped hook toward each other to forcibly engage a bare electricalconductor and to remove said legs away from each other to permit said V-shaped hook to be removed.

Other objects of this invention will become explicit or implicit as thedescription proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings.throughout which like reference numerals indicate like parts andwherein:

FIG. I is an elevational view of a device of this invention, and showingin phantom an electrician's hot stick and a transformer with one of theplurality of leads or conductors extending therefrom;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of parts shown in FIG. 1 and withsome parts fragmentarily shown;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, with parts shown in plan, and takensubstantially on broken line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and shows positions the parts willassume after attaching the device to a high-voltage conductor and as thehot stick is being removed;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view taken substantially at right angles to theshowing in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view with parts in plan and taken substantially onbroken line 66 to FIG. 4.

In the drawings there is illustrated a transformer I0 and onehigh-voltage flexible conductor 12 extending therefrom by way ofexample. Obviously, there are a plurality of primary and a plurality ofsecondary conductors extending from any transformer commonly used inconnection with the distribution of electrical light and power and oftenmany of the primary conductors are of a voltage too high to be workedhot directly by electricians. However, on many such voltages, anelectrician may hold and operate a rod commonly called a hot stick.

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional hot stick is illustrated andcomprises an outer rod 14 made of electrical insulation material havingan internally disposed slidingly mounted inner rod 16, also formed ofelectrical insulation material. A handgrasp portion 18 is connected withthe inner rod 16 and is slidable on the outer rod 14. By holding theouter rod 14 with one hand and by sliding handgrip portion 18 with theother hand, the inner rod 16 may be caused to slide in either directionrelative to the outer rod 14. The inner rod 16 carries at its normallyupper end portion a pair of spring-loaded claw members 20 and 22, whichare preferably formed of metal for wear resistance. A sleeve 24,preferably made of electrical insulation material, is connected to thenormal upper end portion of the outer rod 14. Within sleeve 24 is acollar 26, see FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, which is grooved to providepassageways for the claw members 20 and 22 to slide lengthwise of theouter rod 14 and sleeve 24 and without turning. Also, the collar 26 ispreferably formed of metal for wear resistance. Due to the fact that theclaw members 20 and 22 are spring loaded and also because of theirrelative size to the size of the central opening in the collar 26 inwhich they slide, they can be pulled into the collar 26 and a closed eyering formed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and they may be moved out of thecollar 26 and the eye is open or broken as shown in FIG. 4. Asindicated, hot sticks are old in the art and they provide an eye ring atone end portion thereof, which may be opened and closed from theopposite end portion thereof and at a remote electrically insulatedlocation. Also, said eye fonned by said claw members 20, 22, provides arigid and nonflexible connection between the rod 14, I6 and an eye plate26 (FIGS. 2 and 5) rigidly carried by a carriage 46.

The flexible conductor 12 has one end portion connected with ahigh-voltage winding in transformer 10 and the other end portion isconnected to a connector 30 carried by the Shank member 32. Theconnector 30 is shown as the detachable type and thus may be connectedor disconnected from the conductor 12. The shank member 32 has rigidlyconnected thereto a first leg member 34 and they are angularly disposedto each other so that they form an inverted V-shaped hook having athroat 36. A second leg member 38 is disposed between the shank member32 and the first leg member 34 and the normal upper end portion of saidsecond leg 38 is connected to the V-shaped hook at the said throat 36,while the other end portion of said second leg 38 is free to move towardand away from the first leg member 34. A preferred way of connectingsaid one end portion of said second leg 38 is by a pin 40 fixed in theshank member 32 and in the first leg 34 and the said pin 40 slidablymounts the second leg 38 through an opening in said second leg 38. Thereshould be ample clearance in said sliding connection so that said secondleg 38 pivots about the pin 40 and with its free end portion movabletoward and away from the shank member 32. Also, the second leg 38 isrelatively wide, as shown in FIG. 5, and its upper end fits ratherclosely to the throat 36, as shown in FIG. 2, and thus the said secondleg 38 has restricted turning movement in a plane at right angles to theaxis of pin 40. Also, the second leg 38 is urged toward the shank member32 by compression coil spring 42 coiled about pin 40 and thus there isspring loading of the second leg member 38 tending to move the same awayfrom the first leg 34.

In use, the claw members and 22 of the hot stick are moved to the openposition shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. The conductor 12 and the partsconnected therewith may be hot because the secondary wires or otherprimary wires are connected and the voltage is too high to be handled byan electrician except through the use of a hot stick. Then the claws aremoved into position and the grasp portion 18 and the outer rod 14 aremanipulated so that the claw members 20 and 22 are closed upon andfirmly grasp the eye plate 28. Then through the rod 14, 16, the invertedV-shaped hook (formed by the first leg 34 and the movable second leg 38)is hooked over live conductor 44 and the parts assume the positionsshown in FIG. 2. The eye plate 28 is rigidly carried by a carriage 46formed from spaced-apart plates and rollers 48, 50 and 52. Rollers 48and 50 travel on shank member 32 with the roller 48 on one side thereofand the roller 50 on the opposite side thereof.

A lever-operated cam means comprises a cam portion 54 disposed behindsecond leg 38, a lever 56, and a fulcrum bolt 58 secured to shank member32. A coil spring 60 has one end portion thereof rigid with the lever 56and forms an extension thereof. The other end portion 64 of said spring60 forms a trackway on which roller 52 of carriage 46 travels.

When the parts are in the position shown in FIG. 2, then the hot stick(including the sleeve 24 shown in this FIG.) ismoved downwardly causingthe carriage 46 to move downwardly on shank member 32 (the rollers 48and 50 providing for guided travel with a minimum of friction). At thesame time, the roller 52 causes the other end portion 64 of the spring60 to move downwardly which in turn causes the lever 56 to turn on itsfulcrum bolt 58 and the cam portion 54 moves the lower end portion ofthe second leg 38 toward the first leg 34. After the parts (exceptingthe parts of the hot stick) are moved to the various positions shown inFIG. 4 of the drawings, the grasp portion 18 of the hot stick is movedrelative to the outer rod 14 thereof so the claws 20, 22 open to theposition shown in FIG. 4 and the hot stick is thereby disconnected fromthe eye plate 28 and parts connected therewith. In this position, thecarriage 46 holds the end portion 64 of the spring 60 as shown in thedrawings and thus the cam portion 54 holds the second leg 38 yieldinglytoward the first leg 34 and provides a resilient pressure against thebare conductor 44 disposed between the second leg 38 and the first leg34. The conductor 44, held between said legs 38 and 34, is preventedfrom being squeezed out of the vise so formed between the legs by theserrations 68 on the first leg 34.

To remove a connector, comprising shank member 32 and first and secondlegs 34 and 38 from a conductor 44, it is only necessary to reverse theprocess just described and in general, the grasp portion 18 and theouter rod 14 are manipulated so at to close the eye from claw members20, 22 on the eye of the eye plate 28. Thereafter, the hot stick and thecarriage 46 are moved upwardly which moves the lever 56 to a position tomove the cam portion 54 away from the second leg 38 and said leg 38 isurged by spring 42 away from the first leg 34. Continued upward movementunhooks the hook formed by the first and second leg 34, 38 from theconductor 44.

It will now be apparent that there is provided a connector attachable toand detachable from a bare high-voltage con- Lil ductor 44 comprising ashank member 32 and a first leg member 34 fixedly secured thereto andforming therebetween and inverted V-shaped hook. The second leg member38 is disposed between the shank member 32 and the first leg member 34and the second leg member 38 is'connected at one end portion thereof tothe throat of the hook by a pin 40 and the other end of said second legmember 38 is free to move toward and away from the first leg member 34.The second leg member is urged by spring 42 away from the first legmember 34 so that a normally open hook is provided to receive therein abare high-voltage conductor 44. A lever 56 is pivoted on shank member 32by fulcrum bolt 58 and cam portion 54 urges the second leg 38 toward thefirst leg member 34 when the lever 56 is turned in the appropriatedirection. The serrations 68 on the first leg member 34 prevent aconductor 44 from being squeezed out of the hook. The lever operatingmeans connected with the lever 56 comprises spring 60 and end portions62, 64 and carriage 46 mounted for traveling movement on shank member 32and having a roller 52 which engages the other end portion 64 of thespring 60 functioning as a track on which said roller 52 travels. Thus,the operating means for levers 56 comprises a spring 60, 62, 64 andcarriage 46 mounted for travel on the shank member 32. The connector isreadily operated for attachment of or detachment from a barehigh-voltage conductor 44 by a conventional hot stick.

Obviously, changes may be made in the forms, dimensions, andarrangements of the parts of this invention without departing from theprinciple thereof, the above setting forth only preferred forms ofembodiment of this invention.

I claim:

1. A connector attachable to and detachable from a bare high-voltageconductor comprising, a shank member and a first leg member fixedthereto forming an inverted V-shaped hook; a second leg member disposedbetween said shank member and said first leg member, connected at oneend portion thereof with the throat portion of said hook, and having theother end portion thereof free to move toward said first leg member,said second leg member being spaced from said first leg member to snuglyreceive therebetween a bare high-voltage conductor; lever-operated cammeans carried by said shank member, the cam portion thereof beingpositioned to move the said other end portion of the second leg membertoward said first leg member and against any conductor adjacent thereto;and lever operating means connected with a lever portion of saidlever-operated cam means shaped for engagement and operation by anelectrician s hot stick.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the connection between the secondleg member and said hook comprises a pin extending between said firstleg member and said shank member, and resilient means urging the secondleg member toward said shank member.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said resilient means comprises acompression spring.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said lever operating meansincludes a spring member.

5. The combination of claim 1, wherein said lever operating meansincludes therein a carriage mounted for travel on said shank member.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the lever portion of saidlever-operated cam means carries a track member and said carriagecomprises rollers contacting opposite surfaces of said shank member anda third roller contacting said track member.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein said track member comprises aspring member.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein said spring member comprises acoil spring having two end portions extending therefrom, one of which issecured to the lever-operated cam means and the other of which formssaid track member.

9. The combination of claim 5, wherein the lever operating meansconnected with the lever portion of said lever-operated cam means, forengagement by an electrician a hot stick, comprises an eye memberrigidly secured to said carriage.

10. A connector for making a connection with a bare highvoltageconductor and with a second conductor, said connector comprising:

a. an integral shank member and a first leg member;

b said shank member and said first leg member defining a generallyV-shaped hook having a throat portion;

c. a connector means on said shank for connecting said shank to saidsecond conductor;

d. said shank member and said first leg member being conductors ofelectricity;

e. a second leg member positioned between said shank member and saidfirst leg member;

f. said second leg member connected at one end in said throat portion;

g. the other end of said second leg member being free to move withrespect to said first leg member;

h. said second leg member being spaced from said first leg member toreceive therebetween said bare high-voltage connector;

i. a cam rotatably positioned on said shank member;

j. said cam juxtapositioned with respect to said second leg member tomove said other end of said second leg member toward said first legmember and against said bare high-voltage conductor; and,

k. a lever operating means connecting with said cam for rotating saidcam to move said second leg member.

1. A connector attachable to and detachable from a bare highvoltageconductor comprising, a shank member and a first leg member fixedthereto forming an inverteD V-shaped hook; a second leg member disposedbetween said shank member and said first leg member, connected at oneend portion thereof with the throat portion of said hook, and having theother end portion thereof free to move toward said first leg member,said second leg member being spaced from said first leg member to snuglyreceive therebetween a bare high-voltage conductor; lever-operated cammeans carried by said shank member, the cam portion thereof beingpositioned to move the said other end portion of the second leg membertoward said first leg member and against any conductor adjacent thereto;and lever operating means connected with a lever portion of saidlever-operated cam means shaped for engagement and operation by anelectrician''s hot stick.
 2. The combination of claim 1, wherein theconnection between the second leg member and said hook comprises a pinextending between said first leg member and said shank member, andresilient means urging the second leg member toward said shank member.3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said resilient means comprises acompression spring.
 4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said leveroperating means includes a spring member.
 5. The combination of claim 1,wherein said lever operating means includes therein a carriage mountedfor travel on said shank member.
 6. The combination of claim 5, whereinthe lever portion of said lever-operated cam means carries a trackmember and said carriage comprises rollers contacting opposite surfacesof said shank member and a third roller contacting said track member. 7.The combination of claim 6, wherein said track member comprises a springmember.
 8. The combination of claim 7, wherein said spring membercomprises a coil spring having two end portions extending therefrom, oneof which is secured to the lever-operated cam means and the other ofwhich forms said track member.
 9. The combination of claim 5, whereinthe lever operating means connected with the lever portion of saidlever-operated cam means, for engagement by an electrician''s hot stick,comprises an eye member rigidly secured to said carriage.
 10. Aconnector for making a connection with a bare high-voltage conductor andwith a second conductor, said connector comprising: a. an integral shankmember and a first leg member; b. said shank member and said first legmember defining a generally V-shaped hook having a throat portion; c. aconnector means on said shank for connecting said shank to said secondconductor; d. said shank member and said first leg member beingconductors of electricity; e. a second leg member positioned betweensaid shank member and said first leg member; f. said second leg memberconnected at one end in said throat portion; g. the other end of saidsecond leg member being free to move with respect to said first legmember; h. said second leg member being spaced from said first legmember to receive therebetween said bare high-voltage connector; i. acam rotatably positioned on said shank member; j. said camjuxtapositioned with respect to said second leg member to move saidother end of said second leg member toward said first leg member andagainst said bare high-voltage conductor; and, k. a lever operatingmeans connecting with said cam for rotating said cam to move said secondleg member.